Vitamin D's hidden bond with contraceptives revealed.
Cracking the Mystery of Vitamin D and Birth Control
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unveiled a fascinating link between estrogen-based birth control pills and vitamin D levels in women. On one hand, ladies taking these contraceptives witness a surge in vitamin D; on the other, women ceasing this medication encounter a significant drop in vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D, the vital superhero for your bones, works tirelessly to keep calcium and phosphorous in check in your bloodstream. It's also a sage advisor for the body, guiding it on how to effectively absorb calcium - a must-have building block for those dense, sturdy homes we like to called bones.
Vitamin D can be found in oceanic delights such as fish and avian eggs. Still, approximately 90% of this sun-kissed nutrient is synthesized in our very own skin through a sun-inspired chemical reaction.
Sadly, deficiency in this superhero can lead to health issues like rickets and osteomalacia - soft, weak bones. Due to its crucial role in bone development, vitamin D is particularly essential during pregnancy.
Curious about any potential connection between the two, Dr. Quaker E. Harmon from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, scoured through all available data.
The Connection: Vitamin D and Oral Contraceptives
Dr. Harmon and her team conducted a comprehensive analysis using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF). This investigation revolved around 1,700 African-American women between the ages of 23-34, residing near Detroit, MI.
The study probed women about their contraceptive usage, asking detailed questions about outdoor time, and vitamin D supplement consumption. Blood samples from 1,662 women were collected to measure the most common form of circulating vitamin D found in bloodstreams, known as 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Pregnant women produce heightened amounts of the active form of vitamin D to nurture the growing baby's skeleton, making them more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency and related bone disorders.
"Our research found that women utilizing contraception carrying estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels compared to others," reported Dr. Harmon.
Even after accounting for factors such as seasonal exposure to light, this relationship remained statistically significant. "We could not identify any behavior modifications, such as extended outdoor time, to explain the surge in vitamin D," Dr. Harmon explained. "Our findings suggest that estrogen-laced contraceptives tend to enhance vitamin D levels, and those levels could drop when contraception is ceased."
After adjustments for confounding variables, the use of estrogen-based contraceptives in any form (pills, patches, or rings) was associated with a 20% higher level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Current users of birth control displayed higher vitamin D levels, while past users averaged out.
Preventing Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
This study, recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, hints that as a woman plans to conceive, she faces the risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D. Offering some advice, Dr. Harmon suggests:
"For women planning to cease using birth control, it is advisable to take measures to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy."
Medical News Today inquired about the possible reasons for this estrogen-vitamin D connection, and Dr. Harmon shared her insights:
"We don't have a definitive answer, but other research indicates that the levels of other vitamin D metabolites are altered when women use estrogen-containing contraception. This hints at alterations in the metabolism of vitamin D, which requires further investigation."
The study focused solely on African-American women, leaving Medical News Today to question if race might play a role in this association. Dr. Harmon explained:
"The same association has been observed in women of various races, so we believe this relationship is not influenced by race. In the United States, African-American women are more prone to vitamin D deficiency, so even small changes or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may be significant."
Dr. Harmon continues to monitor this group of women to delve deeper into the relationship, and she is also working on another cohort to examine how vitamin D levels vary across the menstrual cycle.
Learn about the intriguing discoveries linking higher vitamin D levels to lower cancer risk.
- Dr. Harmon's research found that women using estrogen-based contraception typically have higher levels of vitamin D compared to others.
- The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggests that women planning to conceive while ceasing birth control should take measures to ensure adequate vitamin D levels.
- The findings indicate that estrogen-laced contraceptives tend to enhance vitamin D levels, and those levels could drop when contraception is ceased.
- The study also hints at alterations in the metabolism of vitamin D when women use estrogen-containing contraception, which requires further investigation.
- African-American women are more prone to vitamin D deficiency in the United States, so even small changes or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may be significant.
- Dr. Harmon is continuing to monitor the group of women to delve deeper into the relationship and is also working on another cohort to examine how vitamin D levels vary across the menstrual cycle, contributing to the broader field of women's health and health-and-wellness.
